Comparing injuries from e-scooters, e-bikes, and bicycles in the United States

Abstract

There is a growing perception that e-scooters are more dangerous than bicycles and e-bikes, with towns implementing measures to ban their usage. Yet, there is not much evidence from large scale surveys to substantiate this claim. Nearly 14,000 micromobility injuries leading to emergency care in the United States in 2021 and 2022 are analyzed in this study. The following questions are addressed: What are the characteristics of injured micromobility users? Are injured e-scooter users more likely to suffer severe or fatal injuries than other injured micromobility users? What is the relationship between motor-vehicles and micromobility-related injuries? Around 15 % of injured micromobility users presenting to an emergency department were admitted to the hospital. Injured e-scooter users were not more likely to suffer severe injuries than bicyclists and e-bike users. Factors influencing micromobility injury severity included: older age, being male, involvement of a motor-vehicle, and alcohol/substance use. E-bike injuries were more likely to (33 %) involve a motor-vehicle than bicycle (26 %) and e-scooter injuries (23 %). Injured e-scooter users were more diverse (e.g., a higher proportion of women and minorities) and tended to be younger than bicyclists and e-bike users, indicating a potential wider diversity of users. As micromobility becomes a growing mode of sustainable transportation, we must ensure that conditions are safe for all users. This includes separated and protected pathways for micromobility users, traffic calming measures for motor-vehicles, adequate post-crash care for all, and policies that advocate for safe usage, instead of preventing usage, of micromobility modes.